Production of digestive enzymes along the gut of the giant keyhole limpet Megathura crenulata (Mollusca: Vetigastropoda)

The esophagus and intestine form the longest regions of the digestive tract in the giant keyhole limpet and are lined by epithelial cells sharing a common morphology and releasing materials into the gut lumen by apocrine secretion. The purpose of this study was to determine if these morphologically...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology Molecular & integrative physiology, 2011-11, Vol.160 (3), p.365-373
Main Authors: Martin, Gary G., Martin, Alanna, Tsai, Whitney, Hafner, John C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
abalone
Alimentary tract
alpha-amylase
alpha-Amylases - analysis
Animals
Cell morphology
Digestive enzymes
digestive physiology
Digestive specialization
Digestive System Physiological Phenomena
digestive tract
endo-1,4-beta-glucanase
enzyme activity
Epithelial cells
epithelium
esophagus
Gastrointestinal Tract - enzymology
Gastropoda
Gastropoda - enzymology
Gastropods
Giant keyhole limpet
Haliotis
Hydrolases - analysis
intestines
Lipase - analysis
lysozyme
Megathura crenulata
Mollusca
Peptide Hydrolases - analysis
principal component analysis
proteinases
salivary glands
secretion
Vetigastropoda
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Summary:The esophagus and intestine form the longest regions of the digestive tract in the giant keyhole limpet and are lined by epithelial cells sharing a common morphology and releasing materials into the gut lumen by apocrine secretion. The purpose of this study was to determine if these morphologically similar regions release similar digestive enzymes and compare their contributions to digestive enzymes released from other regions of the gut. Principal component analysis of enzymes detected by the API ZYM system for 19 enzymes plus EnzChek assays for protease, α-amylase, lipase, cellulase, and lysozyme identify four distinct regions of the gut: 1) crystalline style and style sac, 2) digestive gland, 3) salivary glands, and 4) esophagus and intestine. Heterogeneity in enzymatic activity was observed in regions of the gut with similar cell morphology (middle and posterior esophagus and intestine) as well as regions with different cell morphology (salivary glands, digestive gland and crystalline style). Enzyme activity in each of these regions is compared to other gastropods, in particular the abalone. Although much of the length of the digestive tract is lined by a morphologically similar epithelium, different regions of the alimentary tract produce a different suite of enzymes which may contribute to the digestive process. These data will help enhance our limited understanding of the digestive physiology of Megathura crenulata and lead to improvement of its culture for clinical research.
ISSN:1095-6433
1531-4332
DOI:10.1016/j.cbpa.2011.07.003